My Blue Side Table

I was 36 weeks pregnant when we moved into our house, and I was in nesting mode times 5 million.

I had lists of house things that I knew I needed to make sure happened before my baby came.

A side table was high on the list.  I was desperately sure that I had a perfect spot for one and perfect stuff to put on it.  (Did I really need it?  No, but try telling a waddling 3rd trimester hormone hurricane that she's being unreasonable.  Actually, I advise against that.)

Commence scouring Craigslist for dirt cheap side tables.  I found one, emailed the owner, and set up a time to come pick it up for fifty dollars.  It was a great deal.

Well, fifty dollars is usually a great deal.  But if you are getting ready to have a baby and just moving into a new house and your husband has just taken a job at your church and you've fairly drained your savings, fifty dollars is not in your budget.

I was disappointed when I realized we would have to back out of my cheap find, but I understood.  I emailed the owner back and told her we couldn't afford it, that I was pregnant and we'd just spent a lot moving into a new house, but I thanked her immensely for her time.

Then, she responded.
She wanted to give us the side table for free.  I emailed back politely refusing as I thought she'd expect. Nope, she was serious. 

Kind of reluctantly, we borrowed my mom's minivan and drove to pick up our now free table.  For some reason, I expected an older couple.  In her email, the woman had explained that God had blessed them, and they wanted to bless us.  It made me think of a grandmother.

They were far from old.  They lived in a small, simple home, and we found out that they work for a local ministry as well.  Before it was over, we were hugging, exchanging stories, and basking in the companionship of sharing in the body of Christ.  

Even just remembering makes my heart a little happy and my eyes a little moist.

Every time I look at that blue table, I remember God's specific care for my unnecessary nesting weirdness.  I remember the day that another young couple taught us about blessings and humility and having open hands.  I remember that somehow, a huge God desires to show us that we are not forgotten and that He simply loves to make us smile just because.  And I do just that.  I remember, and my heart smiles.